A NEW YEAR RESOLUTION!

I ALWAYS love a New Year, and all the reflection that goes along with it.  There is always hope with upcoming change.  Progress is always on the horizon with the change of the calendar.  Each year brings different New Year's resolutions for me and my family.  I am recognizing although many of the resolutions are the same, my resolution focus changes year to year.  

The other day Mike was on the phone with someone we are close to and they said something that greatly impacted us.  The quote was "Now is NEVER ALWAYS"!  A simple statement filled with wisdom.  It seems in years past my New Years resolutions were always focused on living in the NOW!  This year I am focusing on the now with a twist.   My goal this year is to weather the storms because the calm will come, and prepare for the storm by diligently staying humble during the calm.  Now is never always, and life changes in an instant.  Movement forward is inevitable and I need to focus on what is most important to me and my family NOW....because it is not ALWAYS.  My purpose behind living in the now has changed.  My purpose in living in the now is more focused on preparing for the future.  

During the time that my family was living in Pennsylvania our life was very different.  It was hard in ways that seem trivial now.   Yet, those trials were not trivial in the least and difficult to the core.  I had an ability through difficult times to keep my blinders on and focus on the beauty and good things of life.  

I have found in Arizona some of my greatest struggles actually come from the noise, trends, and good things in life that can distract me.   My blinders seem gray, and more easily persuaded.  There are so many "good" and "fun" things that can take all my time it is easy to get lost with what is most important.  My family.....my soul.....my relationship with God.  Those are the things I want to focus on in 2015.  

We live in a world full of trends.  Although trends can be creatively fulfilling and fun in a trivial yet real way......trends can be distracting.  My goal is to not be distracted by trends.  My goal and plan for this year is to know myself, my God, and and my family better than the trends that surround me.

Keeping my blinders on has taken on a new meaning this year. 

 It is more important than ever for me to keep my focus on the right things.  With a focus on the "right" things I know that the Now is not Always.......in a good way.  Better things are ALWAYS in store.